Lenhoff elected to National Academy of Engineering

Abraham "Bramie" Lenhoff, the Allan P. Colburn Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

"Bramie's election to the National Academy of Engineering is a testament to the significant impact of his research across a range of fields, including biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals and advanced materials," said President Laura Carlson. "This recognition reflects decades of influence through his scholarship and the many students and colleagues he has inspired."

Interim Provost Bill Farquhar noted Lenhoff's significant impact on the UD community.

"Bramie has also been a valued contributor to the intellectual life of the University of Delaware, and he has always generously shared his expertise with students at all levels, extending his impact around the world," Farquhar said.

Lenhoff earned the prestigious recognition "for contributions addressing protein-protein, protein-surface and colloidal interactions leading to major advances in protein purification technologies." He is among 130 members and 28 international members elected to NAE this year. The 2026 NAE class also includes two UD chemical engineering alumni: Teresa Plumley Karjala and Michael Laird King.

"Their election reflects the sustained strength of Delaware's chemical and biomolecular engineering program in advancing biomanufacturing and manufacturing innovation, leading to new biopharmaceuticals and advanced materials, while preparing engineers who lead worldwide," said Pamela M. Norris, dean of UD's College of Engineering.

There are now 2,534 U.S. members and 356 international members of the NAE, which seeks "to advance the welfare and prosperity of the nation by providing independent, objective advice to the U.S. government whenever called upon to do so, and by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and public appreciation of engineering." Lenhoff and other members of the newly elected class will be formally inducted during NAE's annual meeting in the fall.

"I'm humbled by the honor of being elected to the National Academy of Engineering," said Lenhoff. "This is a recognition of the hard work and creative thinking of the students, postdocs and collaborators who have contributed over the years, but most importantly of the fertile environment provided by my outstanding colleagues here at Delaware."

Lenhoff is internationally recognized for integrating the principles of protein biophysics with chemical engineering fundamentals, including thermodynamics, transport phenomena and colloid science, in protein separations and phase behavior.

His research focuses on analyzing, controlling and exploiting molecular interactions involving proteins and colloidal particles, with applications that span biopharmaceutical process development and other areas.

Lenhoff joined the UD faculty in 1984 and was named the Allan P. Colburn Professor of Chemical Engineering in 2010. He served as chair of the nationally top-ranked Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from 2012 to 2017.

Lenhoff's scholarship, teaching and mentoring have earned him many awards, including the Francis Alison Award, UD's highest competitive faculty honor. He has served on the editorial boards of key scientific journals and is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

"Bramie is an insightful, engaged and caring leader in our department and in the broader chemical engineering community," said Millicent Sullivan, the Alvin B. & Julie O. Stiles Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and department chair. "His election to the National Academy of Engineering is richly deserved."

Born and raised in South Africa, Lenhoff earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Cape Town. He received his master's and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The two UD alumni elected to the NAE Class of 2026, Karjala and King, received their doctorates in chemical engineering from UD in 1992 and 1981, respectively. Karjala, a senior research and development fellow at Dow Inc., was recognized "for leadership in innovation in the field of polyolefin product development, production and commercialization." King, who had a 32-year career at Merck and Co, Inc. and retired as senior vice president and advisor to the chairman, president and CEO, was honored "for leadership in the commercialization and manufacturing, and supply of vaccines and pharmaceuticals." He is currently professor of practice in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia.

Lenhoff, Karjala and King join a growing community of more than 30 UD scholars who have been elected to the NAE.

About Election to the National Academy of Engineering

Election to the NAE is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer in the U.S. NAE membership recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to "the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education." NAE members span the business, academia, non-profit and government work sectors, and they represent the broad spectrum of engineering disciplines.